When playing guitar don't forget to include your pinky finger. It's there for a reason, so you might as well make us of it!

I came across an instructional video on YouTube recently that was teaching beginning guitar students how to play a major scale. I thought that was a great idea, but what struck me as odd was that the instructor was showing students to play the scale using only three of his four fingers on his playing hand.

It was odd to me because I couldn’t fathom why an “instructor” would intentionally encourage new guitarists to develop what was considered to be a bad habit. Then it hit me that the “instructor” may have simply been teaching his students to play the way that he had been taught to play. For him it was perfectly natural.

Delving a little deeper I discovered that the “3” finger method is not only taught, but used, a whole lot more than I suspected. And, in all honesty, it’s not surprising. We live in a time when “fast” and “easy” are the keywords - and the fact is, that incorporating the pinky finger into your guitar playing requires some effort.

The reason being is that the pinky finger is the “runt” of the litter - the “red headed step child” of the playing hand. It is smaller and weaker than the rest of the fingers, and it can be so much easier to not include him in all the fun the rest of the hand is having!

The problem arises as the beginning guitarist develops his or her skills and reaches a point where incorporating the pinky into their playing is no longer a consideration. The pinky finger becomes a useless appendage that is just “in the way” more than anything else.

But realizing early in the game that the pinky represents 25% of your guitar playing arsenal on your playing hand can be of great benefit down the road. Think of an 8 cylinder car engine. If reduce your cylinder area by 25% you are only using 6 cylinders and motor can never run to its fullest horsepower and potential.

Way back, many moons ago, when I first started taking guitar lessons I had an instructor that pounded into my head something that has stuck (and served me well) for all these years. He used to say, “Every finger gets a fret”. What he was referring to was that with any scale, pattern or mode that covers a 4 fret span on the neck, each of your 4 fingers should be “assigned” to the corresponding fret. Any note that falls on a particular fret should be played by the finger that is “assigned” to that fret. The result is that the pinky finger is incorporated into almost any scale or mode you are playing.

There are times, however, as you reach the upper registers of the neck and the frets become smaller that reverting to the 3 finger method becomes necessary, but as a general rule, the pinky should be used as often as possible. If you watch any professional guitarist play you will typically see the pinky getting a lot of action.

So resolve to put your pinky to good use - that’s why you have it, and it will make you a better guitar player. It’s true that the pinky is smaller and weaker than his “big brothers” but the longer you exclude him from your guitar playing; the harder it will be to tame him later on. Make a promise today to give more attention to the pinky finger and you will be glad you did later on…go ahead, make a promise…pinky swear on it!

Staff - TopMusicLessons.com